A/N:
Chapter Nine! Thanks to everyone who has read Haymitch's story so far! It means a lot to write for an audience who is interested. Hope you enjoy! Now, this is written not only in Haymitch's POV, but first Clementine's, and then Haemon's. I thought it would give a wider understanding, from a tributes POV, of the Games, the bloodbath, and everything in the arena. There will most likely be snippets in other chapters with the tributes' POV in them. Hope this isn't too confusing for you!
"A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others have thrown at him."
- David Brinkley
Clementine Finche
As I rise up on my plate, I can suddenly feel the slight breeze on my hair. My eyes take a few seconds to adjust, but the cornucopia slowly comes into view, and so does Haemon. He catches my eye and gives me a reassuring smile. I smile back and focus on what I should do. Well, what I need to do, because, in fact, I'm absolutely terrified, and I need to focus. The gong is going to go any second now. Wiping my mind, I set my sights on a backpack a few feet in front of me, and some knives ten metres in. Then, you really have to get out of here. Quickly. My eyes scan around the arena until they fall on a large expanse of pine forest. Yes, that would definitely e where Haemon and Haymitch would want me to go. Turning my attention back to the close supplies, the gong rings out across the arena, and I sprint to grab up the backpack and knives. I'm just turning on my heel to run away, when the tribute from District 10, a boy named Jente, charges at me with a spear. Panic rising inside me, I duck and turn away, before throwing a knife at him. It misses by a mile, and, in my flustered stare, I trip over and fall down. Turning to get up, Jente pins me to the ground, his spear raised over my neck. I shut my eyes tightly, frightened, hoping my family doesn't watch, and hoping it will be quick and as painless as possible. But instead of searing pain and blackness, I open my eyes to see Haemon, with Jente in his arms, his throat slit. He throws Jente to the ground and helps me up. Seeing the supplies I gathered, he nods, and together we run to the safety of the forest.
Haemon Darcener
The wait is almost excruciating; all I feel is the need to get my hands on those weapons and start the blood flowing. I've never felt like this before, it's a completely new experience. But one thing is for sure; if the gong doesn't sound soon I'll go mad and get blown sky-high by the mines, only deactivated after 60 seconds. My attention goes to the arena. It doesn't seem all that great, actually. There is a wooded area, and a rocky mountain range capped with, craters? I'm confused momentarily, until it dawns on me that they are most likely volcanos. Fantastic. 'Sadistic bastards' , I think. We will need to stay on higher ground. But there are most likely more horrible, horrible things hidden everywhere else. Gamemaker creations designed to kill us. Growing ever the more frustrated, I try to focus. I need weapons, I need food, and I will need supplies of water and medicine. I think of the advice Haymitch gave me before he left to go to the Control Room…
'Find water. It's most important, because otherwise you will never survive. Find Clementine once you are equipped; put yourself before others. There can only be one Victor, after all. But protect yourself, and Clementine, as best you can. She knows what she needs to do. Good luck, and stay alive.'
I know he was serious, I have to stay focused, and if not for me, for Clementine. She will be relying on me, and also protecting me. She must know in her heart of hearts, it's futile, she won't get through. A new determination flares up in me, as I realise that I need to protect that little girl. She has no one, except me. So as the gong sounds, I'm up at the cornucopia, armed with a spear, several knives, and a wicked axe with a curved blade, as the tributes reach it too. I fight off a boy from 7, and yank a backpack from under an already dead tribute. Manvel, from 3. I snort, unsurprised. But then I remember Clementine, and look around for her. To my absolute horror, she's being pinned to the ground by Jente, the boy from 10. With anger flaring up inside me, I sprint over to her, and lift is almost fragile boy from her. His throat is slit in seconds and I leave him carelessly on the ground. Giving a hand to Clementine, I help her up, and then we are off, running across the hard packed dirt, dodging the odd dead or dying tribute. They don't matter anymore, all that matters is saving Clementine.
Haymitch Abernathy
In the few lasting seconds before the Games, flashbacks to the past blind me momentarily. Snap out of it, I urge myself. This is important. The bloodbath could well be my tributes' one and only day. I realise, despite myself, I really do care about them, and if they die, I will care. A big part of me curses for being so soft, but I can't hide the truth. Focusing my immediate attention to the screen, I watch carefully as the bloodbath unfolds.
Haemon charges forward with an angry energy, while Clementine is quick to grab what she can. As her hands close on a knife, she sees the district 10 tribute, Jente, and although trying her best to get away, she stumbles and falls over, helpless. Her knife missed despite her best efforts in trying to hit him, and all hope seems futile. His spear raised over her head, she shuts her eyes closed tightly, only hoping for it to be quick. Though Jente's intentions are clear, he never gets the chance to go through with them. Clementine opens her eyes to greet Haemon, and a very red, very dead Jente. Together they run for the woods. I'm comforted, no, more than that. I'm extremely relieved that both tributes have made it past the bloodbath. What is running through their minds at the moment, I have no idea and I never will. I'm just glad they're alive.